Writing & Video Tools and Process

I’ve been writing professionally since 2013, with the publication of my first novel, Ohlen’s Arrow. I’ve since written and published four more novels in that series, and in November 2025 I released a murder mystery, The Quiet Hand, my fifth novel. On the video side of things, I began my YouTube channel March 2025 and have released a video every week since then. (I also produce YouTube videos for my day-job.)

Because of these dual mediums, I have updated this document to reflect the tools and processes of both my writing and video efforts.

Writing

Every writer has their own preferred process, style, and set of tools. Some write freehand in notebooks while sitting in coffee shops, others hunt and peck on manual typewriters, while others compose their prose verbally with voice-dictation software on computers.

To each their own, and every method and tool has its own set of pros and cons. There is no right or wrong way to write, merely what works best for you.

Here is a description of the tools I use and the process I follow when writing prose.

Computer

I write on a series of Apple Macs, depending on where I am. My most frequent writing tool is a Mac Mini, and when I’m on the road I use a Macbook Air.

Software

My main composition tool is Scrivener, from Literature and Latte. I think it is a fantastic tool that has been written from the ground up by writers for writers. It has a free, fully functional 30 day demo and it runs on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux. It costs less than $50.

Since inspiration can strike at any time, I like to keep note-taking tools handy, whether it be basic text files or a paper notebook. I store all my documents on Dropbox.

Dropbox is a cloud-based file storage service that runs on just about every current operating system and mobile device available. I store the master copy of my Scrivener file within my Dropbox account. 2 GB of storage is available for free, which is a lot more than it sounds, or you can buy additional storage for a nominal charge. It also has wonderful capabilities for sharing project files with editors, graphic designers, and beta readers.

Writing Process

Some writers produce everything in one phase, then edit and revise in another. I tend to write a little bit, usually a chapter or two, then revise and refine before moving on to the next chapter. They say you shouldn’t edit yourself while you’re writing, and I agree with that, but avoiding that temptation is not as easy as it sounds.

I tend to write most on weekend mornings while the house is quiet and my brain hasn’t been filled with the drudgery of life’s constant demands. Depending on my schedule, I will write for two to four hours before moving on to other tasks. Occasionally I will spend an hour or so editing and revising during the afternoon. Often, I will separate my writing from my editing, choosing a particular session to just do one or the other.

I often get my best ideas when I go to bed and I’m lying in the dark trying to fall asleep. I also get ideas while driving or when watching movies at home. If I don’t have a way to make notes of my idea, I repeat the idea three or four times in my head to help me retain it until I have a chance to jot it down into my paper notebook. I then distill the better ideas and enter them into basic text files.

Outlining

Stephen King believes that outlining is the death of creativity. He’s a savant and a writing genius and writing free-form works for him, but he’s wrong when he makes that blanket declaration. At least for me.

I brainstorm and plan and define my story ahead of time, and during that process I am intensely creative. I actually follow the John Irving model, where I have the entirety of the book’s plot already defined before I ever write word one.

Video

Since March 2025, I have been producing videos about D&D every week for my YouTube channel, @ruckerworks. Most are focused toward the art, science, and process of dungeon mastering, but some are tailored to players and fans of D&D and other table-top RPGs in general.

Although some of my videos are recorded outdoors, most are static ‘talking head’ format, shot in my home office. Here are the tools I use:

Camera: iPhone 16 Pro, using 1x rear camera @ 4k/30 fps
Microphone: Shure MV7X XLR
Audio interface: Mackie 1202-VLZ3 into AudioBox USB96 interface
Editing: Final Cut Pro on a Mac Mini (2020) w/M1 processor and 16 GB integrated RAM
Capture: OBS (free/open-source), recording straight to the computer (I also use “Prompt+”). For walk-and-talk videos, I use an Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal, with a Hollyland LARK A1 wireless microphone connected directly to my iPhone. For static shots, I use a Neewer T91 iPhone tripod resting on my desk, with my Shure MV7X microphone mounted to a Frameworks articulated boom mic stand.

As you can see in the background of my talking head videos, I have some Auralex 2″ acoustic foam strategically placed on the wall behind me. The only lights I use are my standard LED desk lamp, natural light through the window over my shoulder, and the light from my computer monitor.

The keen-eyed viewer will notice a glass Klein bottle on the shelf behind me in most shots, resting on a set of wooden six-sided dice (the largest of which I made in junior high wood shop). The Klein bottle is unique; it was hand-made and signed by Clifford Stoll, author of The Cuckoo’s Egg.